Magical Memories
by Eeny
Summary: Quaxo can't remember anything except his name. But in the search for his memories, he discovers something else. Love. Yes I know, cheesey : T to be safe. R&R!
1. Found

_This is my first story so I know it may not be very good. But I really hope you like it! In my CATS world, I still imagine them as they appeared in the video. They act almost like humans but I still call their 'hands', 'paws'. I don't remember if I did this in the story, but I also consider them capable of blushing and kissing as well as rubbing sides to show affection. I realize that these chapters are really short but I did my best and some are even shorter. Read and Review please!_

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Darkness surrounded the tiny black tom. He felt weak and alone. He didn't know where he was or how he got there. He couldn't remember anything from before. Why was he lying there in the first place? He tried to open his eyes but found he couldn't. The lids of his eyes seemed too heavy to be moved. Next, he tried to move his limbs, but every time he moved so much as a toe, a surge of pain leapt through his whole body. He decided to just stay still. All the little tom knew was that he was lying helplessly on the ground he didn't know where or why.

Then he became aware of voices above him. He could only hear two of them. They mostly spoke in whispers but some of what they were saying reached little tom's ears. "Is he dead?" a gravelly voice asked. The black tom would have spoken for himself if he had had the strength. But he didn't and kept quiet.

He heard paws pad on the ground as one of the cats came near him. The scent of the cat was filling his nostrils as it came closer. Once again, he tried to open his eyes.

"He's still breathing." was the cat's response. "In fact, it looks like he's waking up."

The little tom managed to crack open his eyes. Light flooded his vision and made him wince. But as his eyes grew used to the light, he opened his eyes further and saw two older toms in front of him. One with a golden mane and a black pelt stared at him with increasing interest. The other was white with patches of black. He looked down on the little tom with the greatest sympathy in his eyes. When the maned cat saw that the little tom's eyes were open, he asked, "Where are you from?"

The patched tom stared at him as if to say, _Nice introduction._ But the little tom searched his memory to give him an answer. His head hurt badly when he tried to remember. But still, he tried to find an answer. There was only a black hole in his mind. He found nothing.

"I don't remember." His voice was barely a whisper.

"Can you tell us your name?" asked the patched tom.

Again, the little tom searched his memory. It didn't take long. That question seemed to be the only answer he could give them.

"Quaxo…Mistoffelees." He managed. Then once again, he drifted into darkness.

^..^

When Quaxo next opened his eyes, he was staring up at a low metal ceiling. He was on a small bed and under the cover of some blankets. He tried to sit up but as soon as he moved pain shot through his body. He looked at himself for the first time since he had woken up outside. The white fur on his back leg was dyed red from a gash and there were cuts everywhere. But someone had done the best they could in cleaning and bandaging the bigger injuries. What had happened to him? He tried to remember, but nothing came to mind. His headache returned as bad as ever. Then, outside, he heard the voices of other cats.

"You should have seen how pathetic he looked. Just lying there by himself hopelessly." It sounded like the patched tom. Quaxo noted the tone of sympathy in his voice.

"Did he say anything about who he was or where he was from?" a soft voice asked. It sounded like a queen's voice.

"He couldn't remember where he came from." said the tom. The conversation seemed to stop for a minute as if they were thinking about something. Then the conversation continued. "But he did give me a name."

"What was it?" the queen asked.

"Quaxo Mistoffelees." answered the tom. Again they stopped for a few seconds. "Why do you think he can't remember where he's from?" asked the tom.

"I don't know." came the queen's response.

There was no more to the conversation. A minute later, a young female calico pulled the curtain to the room aside so she could walk into it. When she saw Quaxo looking at her, she smiled. "So you're awake." she said with a note of relief in her voice. It was her he had heard talking to the patched tom. She walked over to his bedside and sat down. "How do you feel?" she asked.

Quaxo wanted to say he was fine, but that would have been a blatant lie. His head was screaming and his body hurt all over. The calico didn't need to hear his answer when she looked into his eyes and saw how much pain he was in.

"Get some rest. You're safe here." she said. "We'll talk later." As she was leaving, she turned towards him again. "And by the way, my name is Jemima." She smiled and disappeared behind the curtain.


	2. Shocking

Quaxo didn't get much sleep. He wasn't really tired, just confused. Why couldn't he remember anything? No matter what he tried, he couldn't remember where he was from, how he ended up in this condition, or even his parents. Did he have any? If he did, he didn't have any idea where they were.

The pain in his body was slowly going away. He was getting a little restless so he sat up and examined himself again. There were still cuts all over the place, but it looked as if some had already healed. But how could that be possible? He had never heard of cuts healing in so little time. But his tuxedo pelt was still colored red with blood. He tested his movement a little before he curled in on himself to clean his fur. The blood had a similar taste to metal. He didn't like the taste much so he tried to finish quickly. His fur was still a mess but it looked better.

Quaxo heard a small rustle behind him. Then a voice yelled, "Lay down!" The young calico, Jemima, made to push him back down, but he grabbed her paws in his own.

"I'm fine." Quaxo whispered.

Jemima didn't look so sure. "Your wounds could open up again if you're not careful." she said. But she took her paws from his grip and didn't try to push him down. She kept a close eye on him however.

"What's all the noise about?" asked a voice. When the owner of the voice came in, Quaxo recognized the patched tom that had saved him. "Ah, it looks like you're making a quick recovery." He sounded almost amazed. Quaxo nodded.

"Thanks for saving me." Quaxo said.

"I'm not the one to thank." said the patched tom. "Tugger and Jemima saved you."

"Who's Tugger?"

The patched tom wrinkled his nose as if he really hated talking about this subject. "Do you remember the cat who was with me when we found you? The one with the mane."

Quaxo nodded.

"He's the one who found you. When we brought you to Jemima" – he indicated the calico – "who did her best to help you. Looks like she did a good job."

The little calico turned away with embarrassment at the praise. The patched tom chuckled.

"Excuse me." said Quaxo after a minute. "But I never got your name."

"My name is Alonzo." said the tom. Then he held out his paw to take. "Nice to meet you."

Quaxo reluctantly took the offered paw but as soon as he touched it, Alonzo retreated with a yelp of surprise. That worried Quaxo a little bit. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"You didn't feel that?" asked Alonzo.

Quaxo tilted his head in puzzlement. "Feel what?"

"As soon as you touched me, I was shocked. It was like a tiny bolt of lightning going through me." he explained. "It didn't really hurt; it just took me by surprise.

Quaxo's eyes went wide. He stared at his paw for a second in wonder. Then Jemima said, "Let me see." She reached out her hand to him. Hesitantly, he placed his paw on hers. Nothing happened. "Well whatever it was, it's not happening now." she said. "Maybe it was just some static."

Alonzo didn't look so sure, but he didn't say anything more about it. Quaxo didn't think she was right either. If it was static they both would have been shocked. When the two of them had to leave for a little while, Quaxo looked at his hand as if expecting something to happen. But nothing happened. Finally, he just laid down and tried to get some rest. Suddenly, he had gotten very tired.


	3. Meeting the Jellicle Family

After another day, Quaxo was getting tired of sitting around doing nothing. So he finally talked Jemima into letting him walk around. There was only one condition: she had to be with him at all times. He accepted without hesitation.

Once he was out in the open, he could at last breathe in the cool air of his surroundings. It was a relatively warm day actually. The breeze felt nice as if brushed his pelt. But something was bugging him.

"Are you okay Quaxo?" asked Jemima.

Quaxo nodded. "I was just feeling like I should remember something about today."

Jemima stopped walking. "Really?" she said. "Like what?"

Quaxo shook his head. He couldn't remember.

"Was it by any chance the Jellicle Ball?" she asked.

"I can't remember."

They were cut off when someone yelled to Jemima, "Who's that you have with you?"

Quaxo looked up to the top of a junk pile and saw a grey striped tabby. He looked powerful and graceful as he climbed down. Jemima didn't hesitate with her answer. "This is Quaxo. He was the cat that was brought in a few days ago."

"Oh I see." said the tabby. "My name is Munkustrap." Then he offered his paw in a friendly jesture. Quaxo hesitated for the tiniest of seconds before taking Munkustrap's paw. He couldn't help thinking of when he took Alonzo's paw last time. But nothing happened this time.

"So where are you from?" asked Munkustrap.

Jemima sighed. "You know Munku, for being second in command of this tribe, you sure don't hear the gossip very much do you?"

"Well what did I miss?" he asked.

"Quaxo can't remember anything except his name." she said. "He doesn't remember where he comes from, how he got hurt, or even his parents."

Munkustrap's face took on the same look of pity Quaxo had seen in Alonzo. He didn't really like it. He wanted them to stop with the sympathy and just drop his unknown past. Then Jemima spoke again.

"But I think he might be a Jellicle." she said.

Munkustrap stared at her oddly. "Why do you say that?"

She smiled. "Because just a moment ago, he said he felt like he should remember something about today. The Jellicle Ball is tonight!"

Quaxo hadn't gathered that when he had told Jemima about his feeling. He looked to Munkustrap to see what he thought.

"Maybe…" Munkustrap said eventually. "Let's see what happens when he attends the Ball. We might get our answer and he might remember something."

Jemima nodded. Then she turned to Quaxo. "Would you like to be made a Jellicle cat?" she asked him. "You will be protected in our clan and we might be able to help you."

Quaxo thought about it for a minute. Maybe he didn't want his memories back. Maybe he just wanted to stay oblivious. But the protection was something he needed right now. "Alright." he answered.

Munkustrap nodded. "I'll go tell Old Deuteronomy. Jemima, you go introduce him to the others." Then he was off in a few quick bounds.

^..^

"Who's Old Deuteronomy?"

"He's the leader of our tribe." answered Jemima. "But I'll tell you more about him later. Right now, you have to meet the rest of our family!" She laughed. Then she yelled into the open space by the tire. "Jellicles of all ages! Come and meet our new arrival!"

It didn't take long for a head to poke up from a small pile of junk nearby. Another three heads popped out of a rubbish cave. And still more came from all the crevices in the junkyard. Soon, there were cats all around him and a flood of names came at him. Tumblebrutus, Electra, Coricopat, Tantomile, Jellylorum and Gus, were only a few of the names he had to try to remember.

"Is this the poor fellow you've been taking care of, Jemima?" asked an orange queen named Jennyanydots (but she wanted him to call her Jenny).

"Yes Jenny." answered Jemima. "His name is Quaxo. Be gentle with him, he's still healing a little."

"He looks just fine to me!" said an orange tom, his name was Skimbleshanks. "In fact, he looks fit enough to run about the station with me!"

Jemima gave him a look that made him shut up. "I don't want him doing anything strenuous for another day or two."

"Or three. Or four. Or five." teased Etcetera.

Everyone giggled, even Quaxo.

Then everyone went silent. Quaxo looked up and they were staring at him with wonder on their faces.

"What?" asked Quaxo.

Everyone jumped. What was going on?

"Quaxo?" said Jemima. She held her paw out. When she touched him she pulled away with a startled look.

"What?"

"You're invisible."


	4. New Jellicle

"So I heard you made quite the spectacle of yourself today." said Munkustrap.

Quaxo threw him a quick glance. "I didn't even know I could do that. It's not my fault."

Munkustrap nodded. But then he said, "But you will have to learn to control it before something worse happens."

Quaxo nodded. Luckily, most of other cats had thought it was cool. But the few who didn't like the idea of a disappearing cat, had made it very obviously known. Apolo and Bombalurina were among that group. But that was fine with him, he really needed to win the overall approval of the whole clan before he needed to win over theirs.

"I talked to Old Deuteronomy about you joining the clan." said Munkustrap. "He's quite happy that you're joining."

Quaxo smiled. "So can you explain to me what the Jellicle Ball is?"

"It's the night we pick a cat to go to the Heaviside Layer and start a new Jellicle life." he explained. "It's a huge honor."

_Start a new life?_ thought Quaxo. _That's amazing!_

But he didn't have much time to think about it before Munkustrap went on. "You'll meet more cats too. Some only stay for a little while though. And there's a lot of dancing. You can join in if you feel like it."

Quaxo was still hung up on the 'more cats' part. "Wait, there's MORE of you?"

"Of course." said Munkustrap with an amused expression on his face. "What? Is our size scaring you off?"

Quaxo laughed. "Not quite." he said. "Just all the names."

Munkustrap laughed. "You'll get used to it."

^..^

By the time the moon rose, there was a great anticipation among the cats of the junkyard. Quaxo didn't feel the same until his moment to join their clan finally arrived. The Jellicle Ball was about to start. Most of the cats were there already. All they needed now was the Jellicle leader.

Quaxo suddenly got a sensation of complete calm. Was that the leader? He felt it again. Then he turned around. An old grey cat was standing not far behind him. This was Old Deuteronomy. He was sure of it. The old cat had an aura about him that spoke of power and grace.

"You must be the young one who wishes to join this tribe." said the Jellicle leader. Quaxo nodded. He didn't notice that everything had gone quiet behind him. He didn't notice the cats all staring at him. He only saw Deuteronomy's paw come up to be placed on his head. Quaxo felt suddenly relaxed at his touch. "Welcome to my tribe." he said. Then he took his paw off of Quaxo's head and took his place on the tire for every cat to see him. Most greeted him as he sat down. They all seemed happy he was there.

Then he felt someone rub into his side affectionately. He looked down to see Jemima staring at him happily. "Welcome to the tribe." she said with a smile.

He smiled back. "Thanks."

The night seemed to progress slowly after that. He met more cats like Bustopher Jones, Rumpleteazer and Mungojerrie. But Bustopher left early and Rumple and Jerrie were part of the crowd to stay away from according to everyone else. However, he did meet Tugger. But he couldn't thank him properly for saving his life because he was surrounded by a group of screaming girls.

But things changed when an old and dirty looking cat came around. Everyone seemed to retreat from her. Quaxo was curious so he approached her. He reached out a friendly hand towards her. She reached back. But their hands never met, for Munkustrap pulled him away.

Quaxo didn't try to go back. But he cast the tiny old cat an apologetic look. She continued to stare at him. Her eyes were filled with wonder. But after a minute, she averted her eyes. When none of the other cats would touch her, she silently left while everyone muttered about who she was and what she had done.

_Grizabella the glamour cat._

When she was gone, everything went back to normal. The cats continued to tell their own stories, but Quaxo still thought of the old queen with the hopeless look about her. But as the night went on and on, he began to notice the dances the Jellicles performed were familiar. When the dance was becoming faster, he jumped into the throng of cats and danced as well as any of them.

He didn't know where it came from, but he danced as if he had danced his whole life. Maybe he had. Maybe this was a memory. A memory that was just beyond his sight and screaming to be found. As he danced, he closed his eyes and saw himself dancing to these tunes with cats all around him. But when he opened his eyes, some of them were staring again. Jemima's face carried a worried expression. He wanted to go to her and comfort her, but he would lose the memory that was so close. He spun and spun and spun and jumped and bent and tilted until a sharp pain in his side made him stumble to a stop.

That's when Jemima ran toward him. Quaxo looked to where his side hurt; it was covered in his blood. Apparently, he had opened one of the unhealed wounds while he was dancing. Jemima was quickly pulling him to a seat. She was so worried that she never once said, _I told you so._ Even though Quaxo knew she had every right to.

But he wished he hadn't stopped dancing. The memory was gone.


	5. Daylight

At the end of that magical night, it was Gus the Theatre Cat who went to the Heaviside Layer. Everyone knew it was his time. Quaxo just wished he had gotten the time to know him. The stories of his past and how much joy they had brought to the old cat sounded like something to be grateful for.

Quaxo saw Grizabella once more before the end of the night. She sang of her memories when she was loved and beautiful. She sounded like she wanted more than anything to be given another chance. But no one would give it to her. She walked away sadly.

Quaxo wanted to chase after her. He wanted to know what it was like to remember. He couldn't remember anything and she remembered everything. Every happy moment was there, every sad moment made the happiness worthwhile. But he didn't have a single memory, a single happy time or a sad moment that disappeared when someone made you feel better. He knew memories could hurt, but he still wanted to know.

He could have asked Gus the same thing.

He turned to Jemima who had sat by his side since his wound reopened. Her eyes were closed, but tears were escaping the edges. Then she sang.

_Daylight,_

_See the dew on the sunflower_

_And the rose that is fading_

_Roses wither away_

_Like the sunflower_

_I yearn to turn my face to the dawn_

_I am waiting_

_For the day_

As soon as she was finished, the sun peeked over the horizon. It was a beautiful sunrise. And somehow, Quaxo knew it was one of the most beautiful sunrises his eyes had ever seen. Jemima was crying at his side. He wanted to tell her it was alright, but he didn't think that was enough. Instead of saying anything, he put his arms around her.

"I miss Gus already." she said. "And I feel terrible that our tribe treats Grizabella like that." Quaxo nodded in agreement. "Can I ask why you danced until you opened your wounds again?" said Jemima through her tears.

Quaxo sighed. "I thought I was remembering something. As I watched everyone dancing, I found the dances familiar. When I joined in, there was something going on in my head that wanted to be free. So I kept dancing. But then I felt pain and stopped dancing."

Jemima broke into a new round of tears and hugged him. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I can't help you." she sobbed. "I'm so useless!"

"No you're not!" Quaxo said sternly. "If it weren't for you I wouldn't be here!"

She looked up at him. "You really believe that don't you." she said.

"What?"

"Nothing." She turned away.

The bright daylight was now flooding the junkyard. Cats were scattering to their dens for a good nap. However, Quaxo wasn't tired. Jemima wasn't either, so she said. Quaxo could see how tired she really was. Up all night with sadness and worry.

"Please just go to sleep." Quaxo begged her.

"No, you'll go off and do something to hurt yourself." She said.

"Like what?"

"Like trying to get your memory back." She whispered. "You can't dance in your condition."

Quaxo looked away. He was going to try that. She grabbed his arm and yelled, "Swear you won't! Please!"

"Okay! Okay! I promise!"

Jemima visibly relaxed. "Now will you please get some sleep." he asked her.

She shook her head. "I want to stay with you just a little bit longer."

Quaxo wasn't so sure that was a good idea, but he took a seat on the tire and Jemima sat down next to him. They were silent for a little while. Then Jemima asked, "What's it like to not remember anything?"

Quaxo didn't answer for a little bit. He didn't know how to put it exactly. "Lonely." He said at last. "Dark and confusing come to mind as well. I don't know where I came from or if I have a family. And if I by chance do have a family, do they care that I'm missing?"

"Someone cares." said Jemima. "Someone always does."

"But how do I know?" said Quaxo. "How-" He didn't finish what he was going to say when he noticed Jemima was sleeping. He smiled and said, "Sleep well." Maybe everything would be explained in the end. But for now, he was happy just to have Jemima by his side.


	6. Magical

A few days later, the effects of the Jellicle Ball had worn off. Everyone but Jellylorum was back to normal. She missed Gus terribly. She still told the stories that Gus left behind to everyone who would listen. Quaxo listened often. Every time he listened, it was always a different story. But as far as he knew, everyone's favorite was The Fiend of the Fell.

Quaxo's wound had finally healed and Jemima had given him permission to do whatever he wanted. So he thought about trying to get his memories back. But then he decided on practicing controlling his magic. Etcetera saw him going off on his own so she followed him.

"Where're you going?" she asked.

"Just to find some open space." answered Quaxo.

"Why?"

"I need some open space."

"For what?"

"Nothing in particular."

"Are you going to practice magic?"

"No."

"Can I come?" she asked excitedly.

Quaxo rolled his eyes. He wasn't very good at lying. "Fine. But stay near something you can duck behind if something happens."

"OK!" she yelled happily.

They found a space near the edge of the junkyard that was open enough. And there were plenty of spaces for Etcetera to jump behind should the need arise. He didn't try much today. He just focused on calling his magic. He thought of himself as invisible and called to Etcetera to see if he had done it or if he was still visible. It took more than ten tries but he finally vanished from sight.

"WHOA!" exclaimed Etcetera. "Where'd you go?"

Quaxo released the magic and he became visible again. "That's so cool!" said Etcetera loudly. She was clearly amazed.

Quaxo smiled. "Thanks. I think that's all I'm going to do today." he said. "Using my magic seems to make me really tired."

"Awwww." whined Etcetera. But she didn't complain any further. They headed back to the center of the junkyard where everyone else was. The instant he walked into the clearing, he saw Bombalurina giving him a disapproving stare and her scarlet fur was slightly bristled. What had he done to make that queen mad now?

But she didn't say anything to him, she just got up from her seat and moved into her den. Quaxo sighed. _Just ignore her, just ignore her_ he told himself. He said good-bye to Etcetera and walked over where Jemima's den was.

"May I come in?" he called.

"Yah." came the answer.

Quaxo pushed aside the light curtain covering the entrance. "How are you?" he asked Jemima.

"I don't know. Sad I guess. And a little lonely." she said. "No one comes to visit me anymore."

"Aren't I someone?" Quaxo joked.

Jemima purred in amusement. "Yes, I suppose you do."

"So what's really wrong?" asked Quaxo. "Are you still upset about Gus and what our tribe does to Grizabella?"

Jemima shook her head. "It is about the tribe, but not about Grizabella." she said. "It's about your powers. Some of them are having a difficult time coming to terms with your talent."

Quaxo suddenly became angry, not with Jemima but everything else. "It's not my fault I have this power." he said. "But I knew some of the other cats were scared I was going to hurt someone. So today I went out to practice."

Jemima looked at him with interest in her eyes. "What did you do?"

"Not much. Just learn to disappear at will." he said.

"Can I see?" asked Jemima.

"I'll try." he said. He called his magic and imagined himself gone from sight in her den. After a little while, Jemima gasped.

"Everlasting Cat!" she exclaimed. "I'm having déjà vu. It's just like when you disappeared from everyone's sight when I introduced you!"

Quaxo laughed and let the magic retreat so he became visible again. Jemima hugged him.

"How do you always manage to make me feel better?" she asked.

"I don't know. I just like to see you smile." He bit his tongue when he said that. That was a little weird. But Jemima smiled again.

"Well thanks." she said.

"And guess what. Remember when I shocked Alonzo?" he asked.

Jemima nodded and giggled. "How could I forget? He thought he'd had a supernatural experience!"

"Well, maybe he sorta did. Maybe that was my magic again."

Jemima thought about it for a second. "Could you do it again?" she asked jokingly.

"Sure!" said Quaxo sarcastically.

They both sat there laughing until they couldn't breathe. Quaxo had tears around the edge of his eyes and so did Jemima. She wiped them away and tried to catch her breath. "You know," she began. "It's not just your powers that make you magical. It's also who you are. Don't let anything change that."

Quaxo wasn't sure he understood, but he nodded.

^..^

Quaxo opened his eyes. When did he fall asleep? Looking around, he realized he was still in Jemima's den. He almost bolted to his feet but noticed Jemima sleeping next to him. If he moved he might wake her. So he just stayed still and tried to calm down. If she were annoyed, she would have woken him up and told him to sleep in his own den. But she slept at his side instead.

He turned his head to the door. It was dark outside. Night had fallen. He laid his head down again and went back to sleep.


	7. Snow

The light of the rising sun woke them. Quaxo woke to see Jemima looking at him. She looked a little embarrassed but didn't turn away. He looked back at her. Her brown and red pelt shone brightly in the morning sun.

"Morning." she said softly.

"Morning." Quaxo replied. "Sorry."

She smiled and shook her head. "It's fine. I kinda liked having someone here."

A cold breeze blew into the den. It had the feel of coming winter. Quaxo needed to get up and stretch his legs before the cold made him want to stay inside all day.

"Let's go for a walk." he suggested to Jemima. She nodded and followed him out.

Outside, there were only a few cats wandering around besides them. It was colder out in the open than in the den. Quaxo could almost imagine a soft, pure, white blanket of snow covering the ground. He wondered if it would snow anytime soon.

As if reading his mind, Jemima said, "It hasn't snowed here for a long time. The last time it snowed, I was a kitten." She sounded a little sad. "I miss the snow, it was beautiful and fun to play in." Then she smiled. "The kittens would love it."

Quaxo wished he could do something to make her happy.

"Do you want to come with me to practice my magic?" he asked her. Her smiled grew as she nodded. "Ok then, we'll go to the edge of the junkyard."

He led her to the same spot he had practiced at the day before. He gave her the same instructions as he had given to Etcetera. Then he set to work. He practiced disappearing again. He seemed to be getting the hang of it because the magic came easier and he disappeared quicker. Then he tried something new. He called his magic and rubbed his palms together. Then he pointed in the opposite direction of Jemima and a small lightning bolt shot from his hand and hit a nearby trash pile.

"Whoa!" yelled Jemima. "I guess you were right. The shocking was your powers."

Quaxo smiled. Then he tried it again, he made sure to aim for a certain target this time. When he shot the lightning, it hit the spot directly. Jemima was impressed. But Quaxo was exhausted.

"Let's call it a day." said Jemima.

Quaxo shook his head. "I want to try one more thing."

"What is it this time?" she asked.

Quaxo only smiled. Then for the last time that day, he called his magic. He started to dance a slow dance; a dance with few steps and slow twirls. With his paws, he invited Jemima to dance with him. She took his paw and danced with him she even closed her eyes. He let his magic build up as they danced. Then he let it explode over the clearing. Jemima opened her eyes and gasped.

Snow was falling.

Falling from the sky came the light and beautiful flakes of winter. Quaxo could see tears forming in her eyes. She stopped dancing and hugged him tightly. "You did this for me?" she asked as the tears spilled over her face.

Quaxo nodded as he hugged her back. "You said you missed the snow, so I brought it back to you." he said. "I wanted to make you smile, because I…love you." As he spoke the words, he knew they were true. The truest thing he could ever remember saying.

Jemima smiled. "I know."

"How?" Quaxo asked confused.

"I've known since you first looked at me." She answered. "That was also when I realized I loved you too." She rubbed her head affectionately into the base of his neck. He purred happily and thought that even I he could remember that far back, he would know this was the happiest day of his life. They both wished they could stay that way forever. But Quaxo was tired from using his magic again.

"We should probably head back." he said. "Don't you want to see how the kittens are reacting?"

Jemima giggled and nodded. They walked back slowly; enjoying the time alone together. The snow fell lightly on their pelts and blew around them with the light winds. As soon as they came to the center of the junkyard they saw cats everywhere. They were jumping and running and playing in the snow, especially the kittens.

Demeter was just on the side of the junkyard watching them with a smile. She couldn't run or play very much because she was pregnant with Munkustrap's kittens. She saw them come into the clearing and decided to talk to them. "Where have you been?" she asked with genuine curiosity.

"We were just out…walking." he lied. Jemima seemed to catch on that he didn't want to talk about his powers so she didn't say anything.

Demeter looked like she didn't believe him, but she nodded and said, "Isn't the snow wonderful?"

Quaxo and Jemima nodded. Neither one of them could suppress a wide smile creeping onto their faces. "The kittens look like they're having fun." laughed Jemima.

Demeter smiled. Then she turned to Quaxo and said, "So how are your powers coming along?" It was a rhetorical question. Then Demeter added, "Etcy said you let her tag along yesterday. She's told everyone about it."

He sighed. That was the last time he let Etcetera follow him. Luckily, Demeter was alright with his powers. He was more worried about Demeter's sister, Bombalurina.

"Well it's not like everyone didn't know already." said Quaxo.

"Is that where you two were?" she asked.

"Yes." he answered.

"Well good luck." she said. Then she turned to Jemima and said, "Good luck to you too." She winked. Then she was gone.

Quaxo didn't get it. He looked to Jemima; she was blushing.

"What was that?" he asked her.

"She knows."

It was Quaxo's turn to blush.


	8. Macavity

As he guessed, Bombalurina was giving him dirty looks again. But he tried his best to ignore her. Someday something would change. _Etcetera and her big mouth_, thought Quaxo. But as days passed, she forgot to give him those looks and the snow faded from their lives. The kittens missed it for sure, but they also knew that it wouldn't be back again this year.

He had moved into Jemima's den. It was far comfier than his old one. They woke every morning with smiles. But the day came when every cat was on edge. Munkustrap had called a Jellicle meeting. When everyone was gathered, he spoke.

"One of our patrols has noticed Macavity around." he said. Before his sentence was finished, there was muttering all around.

"Who's Macavity?" Quaxo asked Jemima.

"He's a ginger cat who's caused trouble around here for as long as I can remember." she answered. "When he comes here, he's usually after Old Deuteronomy and he's a dangerous fighter. It's never good news to hear that he's around."

Quaxo nodded. Maybe he would be asked to help fight him off. The thought frightened him. He was no fighter. But Macavity didn't know about his powers. That was probably the only thing that Quaxo could do that would have any effect on Macavity.

"I hope he just decides to leave." said Jemima. "I don't want to risk losing anyone this time."

Quaxo rubbed his side against hers in an attempt to calm her down. By this time, most of the other cats had guessed that he and Jemima were a couple. They were used to the gestures of affection. "Everything will be okay in the end." he told her.

^..^

It was another month before something finally happened. At first, no one noticed anything unusual. But then out of nowhere came a yowl. The cats turned their heads to the loud sound in fright. A large ginger tom was perched on a tall pile of trash. As he let out his battle cry, his hench-cats came from all directions.

Quaxo bolted in front of Jemima before one could make a swipe at her. "Run!" he told her. She obeyed.

Quaxo fought the cat hard with his claws. He scored deep marks in the cat's fur. His hackles were raised and the dark hench-cat hissed furiously every time he was hit. Quaxo had sustained minor injuries but finally, he drove the hench-cat away with a blast of lightning from his paw.

Quaxo spun around in the chaos of his fellow Jellicles fighting the enemy cats. Then his eyes fell on Munkustrap and Macavity. Munkustrap looked like he had been caught many times by the vicious cat's claws. There was blood everywhere. Then the ginger cat struck Munkustrap in the side and he fell.

Macavity was going for the finally blow when Quaxo called his magic and shot.

Shot at his chest.

Shot at the heart.

Shot to kill; but also to save.

The lightning struck its mark and Macavity was flung back. Then everything was silent.


	9. Mistoffelees

Quaxo looked at where he had shot the evil cat. He was flung ten feet from his original spot, standing over Munkustrap. The ginger tom lay on his back with his limbs contorted into many unnatural ways. He kept staring at the corpse of the cat who lay before him. He couldn't believe he had just done that. He wanted to be sick.

The cats all around him were silent with shock. They looked at Macavity and then at Quaxo. What had just happened? The hench-cats realized everything before any of the Jellicles. Their leader was dead. They retreated in a hurry.

All the Jellicles just stood there for a few seconds. Then they pieced together what had happened. But how were they supposed to react? Were they supposed to be happy that their long time enemy was finally dead? Or were they supposed to be afraid because one of their own tribe had the ability to kill?

Finally, someone let out a yowl of triumph. The other cats joined in. They circled Quaxo and congratulated him for saving the tribe. Quaxo collapsed in exhaustion. Everyone laughed. "Go ahead and rest." Tumblebrutus called to him. Then Jemima pushed her way through the crowd of cheering cats. She hugged Quaxo tightly.

"I was so scared." she said. "I'm so glad no one got hurt." Tears were spilling from her eyes.

Quaxo didn't respond. He was still in shock. He killed someone. _I'm a murderer. _he thought to himself. That's when another memory finally came back to him. It was not a happy memory. It was the origin of his second second name. _Mistoffelees._

^..^

That night, he snuck out of the den. Jemima was asleep on the warm blankets. He walked out into the light of the moon and looked to the stars. He couldn't help but wonder what made the moon so special to Jellicles. It was only a glowing orb in the sky. It was just like the sun except a little dimmer.

It reminded him of all cats. Some shown like the sun all the time but there wasn't much very special about them that anyone could see. But others shown like the moon, dim on the outside, but there was something about them that made everyone interested.

_What would I be?_ Quaxo wondered. Whatever he may have thought before that day had completely changed. After killing someone you never feel the same. He could almost see the scorched pelt of Macavity in the dim moonlight.

_You tried to kill him. You succeeded. You're a hero. _a voice in his head said.

_But does that make killing right?_ Quaxo thought.

The voice didn't answer. He sighed and went back into the den. Jemima was still sound asleep. He took a spot on the opposite side of the den from her. He didn't want to risk anything happening in the night. A small shockwave could escape his fingertips or worse. No, he wouldn't take that risk. He curled up by himself and tried to fall asleep. But he couldn't fall asleep. He would never be able to sleep peacefully after what he had done.

^..^

He got up earlier than Jemima the next day. As he came out of the den, he was met by Bombalurina. He grunted a good morning to her and walked by. But she stepped in his path.

"Look Mr. Magic Cat, if you think I didn't trust you before yesterday then I'm going to be watching you much more carefully now." she said in a guarded voice. "After killing another cat, I think you would just as easily do it again."

"What is your problem?" asked Quaxo angrily. "I never did anything to hurt this tribe. I only try to help!"

"Well we don't need everything from a single cat." she spat. "We can't afford to owe everything to any cat! Got that pussy cat?"

"Don't ever call me pussy cat again you promiscuous queen." he hissed back. He swiped a paw across her nose. She pulled back in time. Her hackles rose on her back. A fight was about to start at any second. But Quaxo ran away. Not from fear of her, but from fear that he would do something else he would regret.

He ran and ran until he came to the same wide open space he had practiced using his magic in. He didn't stop to look if anyone was there. He just called his magic and released lightning bolts from his hands. He shot again and again and again. He needed to release some of his energy. The lightning tore up piles of junk and obliterated large pieces of old human furniture.

When he was just about ready to shoot another bolt of lightning, someone ran into the clearing. It was Jemima. Quaxo turned around as she threw herself into him. "I was so worried." she said. "Bomba said you ran off when you two got in a fight."

Quaxo didn't answer. He was shaking all over. He was still as angry as ever at Bombalurina. Jemima looked up at his face. "What's wrong?" she asked. "If it's just Bomba don't worry about her."

"It's not just about Bomba." he told her. He had realized that only a few minutes ago. He was still upset that he had killed another cat. The whole tribe seemed to think he was a hero. But were heroes meant to feel this way?

"Then what is it?" she asked. "Quaxo what's wrong?"

He froze. Suddenly, that name didn't seem to be his. "Mistoffelees." he mumbled.

Jemima looked confused. "What?"

He pushed her away and said clearly, "That's my name. Mistoffelees."

"Quaxo, I don't understand."

"Quit calling me that!" he yelled. He didn't mean to, he really didn't. But he yelled at her. He could see the tears springing to her eyes.

"At least tell me why." she said. Her voice was quivering and the tears slowly fell over her face.

"When I killed Macavity, a memory came back to me." he began. "It was a memory of where my second second name comes from. Mistoffelees is a name given to representatives of the devil. It is now the name I choose to live by."


	10. What?

Jemima didn't know what to say. Her tears were still falling and she looked like she wanted to run away. Run far away. But she didn't. Finally, she spoke up. "You can't do this to me." she said through her tears. "Yes you killed Macavity, but it doesn't mean you're bad."

"Don't you get it?" said Mistoffelees. "Everyone is like the sky. You're either a sun or a moon. I was a sun until the others saw me kill Macavity. Now they're just scared of me and my powers. The light from my shining days is over." Then he realized something. "I think that's what happened to Grizabella too." It seemed like the only possible explanation for her name.

"Then change it! Do you want to be like the showy and tasteless sun? I sure don't!" said Jemima.

"And that's what make you as beautiful as any moon. You don't show yourself in the brightest light but what makes you special comes from within. But I had my chance to keep everything to myself and I blew it. Now my world has no sun or moon. It's just black."

Jemima approached him slowly. "Do I mean that little to you?"

"What?" asked Quaxo. He was completely shocked that she could say something like that.

"I've always thought I was part of your world. But if you have no moon or sun then I was wrong." she said. The tears fell faster down her face. "Let me _be_ your moon. Let me _be _your sun. Let me _be _your stars. Let me be everything you need. I want to be yours forever but you don't seem to feel the same." Every word she said cut into Mistoffelees. He wanted her to be part of his world. He wanted her to be desperately but everything was going wrong. He loved her, but his emotions were making her think otherwise.

"So tell me, how do you really feel?" she asked him finally.

Mistoffelees knew what he wanted to say, but somehow the words didn't come. It was like he really couldn't say them no matter how much he wanted to. He tried to run.

"This is important!" yelled Jemima. It was like she wanted to say something but was keeping it to herself. Mistoffelees stopped with his back to her. She walked up behind him and placed her paw on his shoulder. "Please talk to-" she stopped and Mistoffelees felt her hand fall from his shoulder. There was a hard thud on the ground behind him.

Alarmed by the sound, he turned around. Jemima was lying on the ground unconscious. Not knowing what had happened, he bent down to examine her. The first thing he noticed was her paw. It was burned. How did that happen? Then an idea struck him. It horrified him. His emotions had been known to force his magic without his knowledge.

The burn mark was from touching him. He had made a shield of electricity when he got scared. When she touched him, she was shocked badly. Mistoffelees forced his magic away. The aura of electricity was gone.

_I've done it again. I've hurt someone else._ he told himself. _Bombalurina was right about me._ Slowly he picked up Jemima. She was completely limp. He was so scared. What was he going to say to everyone? But he made his way back to the middle of the junkyard as fast as he could with his beloved in his arms.

^..^

Jennyanydots had seen them arrive. At first, she saw nothing wrong. But upon a second glance, she called for help. Bombalurina, Etcetera, and Jellylorum came quickly. Etcetera and Jellylorum took Jemima to the infirmary. Bombalurina just stared at Mistoffelees with an angry face that said, _what did you do?_

Mistoffelees sat by the door to the infirmary for what seemed like a long time. When Jenny finally came out, she looked at him with a great sadness, but what also looked like hope.

"She's still in terrible condition. But she's alive." she said.

Mistoffelees didn't realize he was holding his breath until he let it out in a sigh of relief.

"What happened?" Jenny asked.

Mistoffelees didn't want to tell her, but he knew he should. Jenny sat there quietly and listened. She didn't say a word until the very end. "You got scared?"

He nodded.

"Quaxo, we all get scared."

"Don't call me that." he said. "I go by Mistoffelees now."

Jenny didn't ask why, she just nodded. "Okay then. Mistoffelees. We all get scared. But sometimes we have to face our fears and do what's best. You didn't just put Jemima in danger today."

Mistoffelees' head turned suddenly. "What do you mean?"

Jenny looked at him perplexed. "She hasn't told you?"

"Told me what?"

"Mistoffelees, Jemima is pregnant." said Jenny. Then she smiled softly. "The kits are yours."


	11. Guilt

Mistoffelees sat there dumbfounded. "She's….pregnant?" he asked.

Jenny nodded. "I would have thought she told you already."

He shook his head. "She didn't say a word. How long has she known?"

"Only a few days." said Jenny.

Finally, it hit him. He was going to be a parent. A dad. A silent tear of joy fell from his eye. But then he thought about Jemima's condition. "She's never going to forgive me." he said. All happiness was dying from his heart. His unborn kittens might not even survive this ordeal.

"Do you really doubt Jemima that much?" Jenny asked. Mistoffelees didn't know how to answer. Jenny shook her head and returned to Jemima. Mistoffelees wanted to follow her inside, but something kept him outside. It was probably the guilt. And it would keep him away from Jemima forever.

He walked away.

^..^

Days later, Jemima wasn't doing any better. This only fueled Mistoffelees' guilt. And of course as soon as Bombalurina heard what happened she told everyone. Everywhere he went, he got looks of disapproval. About the only cat that didn't put out the same vibe was Jenny.

As more days passed, Mistoffelees withdrew from the world. They didn't want him there so he tried his best not to be. Something in his head was screaming to be remembered. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't.

The Jellicle Ball was coming again. It was almost a year since he had first found the Jellicles. Or should he say, they found him. The Jellicles were so welcoming back then. Did they wish they didn't accept him now?

Outside, he heard the murmurs of uneasy cats and hisses of fury. He looked around the corner and saw an old grey queen. Grizabella. She was just standing at the edge of the clearing. Jemima would be crying again if she could see her tribe acting this way. Mistoffelees wanted to scream at them. He wanted to know what Grizabella had done to have them treat her this way. But he barely had the strength to approach her. This time Munkustrap didn't try to stop him.

Mistoffelees reached forward. Grizabella reached back. But at the last second, Mistoffelees pulled away. Instead, he passed her. He walked close to her ear and whispered, "I'm sorry. But I'm in enough trouble right now."

She didn't respond. But he could have sworn she nodded a little in understanding. What was he so afraid of? Everyone already thought he was a menace. What was wrong with touching this cat now? But he didn't go back. It wasn't until she was gone that he snapped.

"What has she done to deserve this?" he asked the tribe. "As far as I can see she's just a poor lonely cat."

"She was once a Jellicle."

Mistoffelees turned to the voice that spoke. It was Alonzo. "But she left our tribe. If she left us then we should have no reason to take her back."

"That's not enough to shun her!" Mistoffelees yelled. "She had to have done something terrible for you to treat her that way."

"Why do you care so much?" asked Munkustrap who was next to Alonzo.

"Because it's not right! She shouldn't be treated like that."

"Then go join her and leave us alone you bastard sorcerer!" spat Bombalurina.

Mistoffelees hissed in the red queen's direction. However, he was very tempted to leave the tribe. But he couldn't do that to Jemima. He had hurt her so much already; he would stick around to help with the kits.

"That's enough!" yelled Munkustrap. "This isn't helping anything. We'll talk about this later when we all have cool heads."

Mistoffelees grudgingly nodded his head and stalked off. He longed for things to be back to normal. He wanted to play with his friends and talk to Jemima. He wanted to be able to walk through the junkyard without getting suspicious looks from everyone. Without realizing it, his feet had taken him to the open space at the edge of the junkyard. He looked around and saw everything that had been destroyed by his powers. However, it was a place of happy memories. Times with Jemima in particular.

_It isn't too late to fix everything._ said the voice in his head.

_I know._ Mistoffelees responded. Then he closed his eyes. He could see everything in the clearing as it once was. No splinters of shattered wood or glass. No puffs of cotton from torn furniture. Just the clear ground below his feet and the walls of what was left. When he opened his eyes, the mess was gone. Everything was clear again. He didn't know why this place meant so much to him. It just seemed like it needed respect.

_I must be going insane._ he thought.

"So what are you doing out here?" came a voice from behind him. Mistoffelees turned around. It was the Rum Tum Tugger.


	12. Tugger

Tugger was waiting for an answer. But Mistoffelees didn't say anything. He was still a little curious as to why the flamboyant cat was here "Why aren't you back by the tire?" he asked.

"They don't want me there. And I don't know how much more of this I can take." answered Mistoffelees . "The nasty words whispered behind my back, the unsure stares cast in my direction…the guilt."

Tugger swatted Mistoffelees' ears with his paw. "Quit acting like a lost kit! This isn't the cat that I helped rescue a year ago." spat Tugger. "That cat had a mind to ignore what others say and was brave no matter what the situation. He defended his friends and took care of those he loved. Where did he go?"

Mistoffelees couldn't ignore the older cat's words. This didn't sound anything like the ostentatious cat that surrounded himself in his image. This sounded like the words of a cat that had lived many years past his time.

Then Tugger went on. "I saw a glimpse of that cat only a few minutes ago. Standing up for a cat he knew nothing about. Who would have thought that the same cat can just abandon his mate like that?"

Mistoffelees hissed. "I haven't abandoned her!"

Tugger folded his arms. "Everyone's gone to visit her but you." he said bluntly.

Mistoffelees knew that already. But now that it was brought to his attention, he felt like such an idiot. He never planned to leave her, but he didn't go see her when she was hurt.

"She's been awake for days. But no matter who comes to see her, she doesn't say a word." said Tugger. "We all know who she really wants to see."

"I can't." said Mistoffelees.

"Listen kitten, we all need to face up to our mistakes. But you think it would be easier knowing it's only you she wants to see." The intensity of his voice was becoming more and more pronounced. Mistoffelees didn't even realize how much authority Tugger had. Maybe it only took something like this to bring it out. Mistoffelees didn't even complain that Tugger had called him a kitten.

"She loves you." he said in a softer voice. "The Everlasting Cat knows we all know!"

"Really?"

"Really."

"Can I just say one thing?"

"What?"

"Thanks for saving me."

"Gah!" Tugger yelled. But he smiled.

^..^

Mistoffelees took a deep breath to calm himself down. Then he pulled the curtain to the infirmary aside and stepped in. Jemima was lying on her side. Her face was away from him. He came and sat near her. Then he whispered softly, "Jemima."

Her head swung around in surprise. When she saw him, her eyes filled with tears. "Quaxo! I thought you would never come." she whispered.

"I almost didn't." he said. "You can thank Tugger."

"Really?" she asked. "I guess I owe him a lot." She giggled.

Mistoffelees didn't even notice that she had used his original name. "How are you?" he asked a little hesitantly.

"Better, but I still hurt all over and I'm worried about…"

"The kits?" he finished for her.

"I should have told you the instant I knew." she said. "I'm sorry."

"It's alright. I'm more worried about if you forgive me."

"Of course I do Quaxo." That time he noticed her using his old name. But he didn't say anything. The name seemed to belong to him again. It was natural. And he liked being called by it. He smiled.

"Get some rest." he told her. "I'll be here when you wake up. I promise."

Jemima nodded. She laid her head down as Quaxo held her paw in his.


	13. Memory

Days later, Quaxo still came to visit Jemima. She was getting better fast. But that was due to the healing magic he sent to her whenever he held her paw. He didn't just send it to her; he sent it to the kits as well. Actually, Jenny had made an inspection and said that Jemima would only have one kit this time. But all the same, Quaxo sent his magic to make sure the kit was born healthy and strong.

On the night of the Jellicle Ball, Quaxo didn't want to leave Jemima's side. But she wanted to see what was happening, so he and Jenny carefully moved Jemima just outside the infirmary. Quaxo sat with her the whole night. But then Grizabella showed up once again. She sang her song of her memories of happiness and sadness. She was getting ready to leave again. The other Jellicles were not showing much compassion, but they were no longer hissing and swiping at her.

Quaxo got up and approached her. For the third time as a Jellicle, he reached out to Grizabella. He didn't care what everyone else thought and he didn't pull away this time. Grizabella reached back and her paw touched his. It was not a feeling he expected. He expected her paw to be cold from lack of contact with others. But her paw was soft and warm.

Slowly, he began to realize that the other cats were coming closer. Their paws were extended as well. They had finally realized that it was alright to let Grizabella come back. She hadn't done anything wrong in the first place.

When everyone had shown that they accepted her again as one of them, Grizabella turned to Quaxo. "I've wanted to ask you ever since I first saw you." Her voice was slightly broken with age, but it was soft like a mother's voice. "Do I know you from somewhere? I could have sworn I've seen you somewhere before a long time ago."

Quaxo shook his head in regret. "I don't know. I can't remember anything about long ago."

Grizabella looked a little disappointed; like she had wanted a different answer. "Well, I guess some things are better left forgotten." Then she turned to the Jellicle family. "But some are worth remembering."

^..^

As soon as everyone was finished welcoming Grizabella, Quaxo retreated towards Jemima again. She had been waiting patiently for him to return. "I'm glad that things turned out okay in the end." She purred into Quaxo's neck.

He grabbed her paw and said, "Me too." He sent healing magic to her for the rest of the night. He watched her fall asleep at his side and he could feel himself getting tired too. But he also knew that if he were to go to sleep, he wouldn't wake up. Using that much magic was too draining. And he had been at it for days. This would be the last night he spent with his beloved Jemima. He would never get to see his kit and wouldn't be able to watch it grow.

He kissed Jemima on the forehead. She stirred. As the night wore on, he was vaguely aware that something clicked in his mind. Then the sun began to rise. Jemima woke slowly. Quaxo was barely awake.

Jemima knew something was wrong almost instantly. "Quaxo? Are you alright?"

"Do you want to know what happened before Tugger and Alonzo brought me here?" he asked, avoiding her question.

"What?" she asked.

Again, he avoided her question. "I was one of three kits. My parents loved us all. We did many things together and we were happy. My parents also used to be Jellicles. But they were accused of being followers of Macavity before I was born. So they left the tribe. They couldn't bring themselves to go too far from the tribe however. So they found a place just outside of the junkyard. It was peaceful enough for a long time. A little while after I was born, I started noticing my powers. My parents were quite happy. I learned to use my magic. But then some rouges attacked us. They killed my sisters and my parents. I barely escaped with my life. But the vivid memories of the deaths of my parents were too much to handle. So I cast a spell on myself so that I wouldn't be able to remember anything."

"But why have they been leaking out one by one?" asked Jemima. "And why do you remember everything now?"

"Because whenever I used my magic for something else, it took away from the power of my spell." Then he looked Jemima directly in the eye. "And the reason I can remember everything now is because I'm dying."

Jemima's face looked horror-struck. "What? "Why?"

"Because I've used too much magic on you." he said. "I've ensured that our kit will be strong and healthy and I've ensured your life as well."

They both had tears forming in their eyes. This was the end. They both lay down next to each other.

"I love you." said Jemima.

"And I love you." answered Quaxo.

^..^

Quaxo died only a little later than that. He had fallen asleep. Jemima burst into loud sobs. It was Munkustrap who came first. When he saw Quaxo at first, nothing seemed to be wrong. But as loud as Jemima was crying, Quaxo didn't wake up. It was then that Munkustrap put the scene together.

He put his arms around Jemima's shoulders to comfort her. She didn't respond. She just continued to cry and cry and cry. A relationship with so much hurt in it was enough to make anyone look upon her with sympathy. What was going to happen to her kit now?

She eventually calmed down. But she refused to talk about what happened to Quaxo. She just kept whispering to herself softly as if it was going to help her. For a little while, she retreated from everyone. She didn't talk to the other cats except when Demeter had her kits.

Then Jemima had her own kit. A kit that looked almost exactly like his father. A kit that had everlasting energy and smiles. And so she named him after his father. "My little Quaxo." she whispered to the tiny sleeping kit.


	14. Winter

A few weeks later, the kit was walking on his own, wobbly feet. Jemima followed him wherever he might decide to go. The kit marched everywhere and played with Demeter's kits a lot. All the adults looked at him with sad expressions on their faces. Little Quaxo didn't notice, he just went on smiling and playing. He was so innocent. Jemima only wished that he had known the love of his father.

Every now and again Jemima had a cry about it. But she tried not to show it to her kit. Everyone liked having him around. Even Bombalurina seemed to have taken to the tiny kit. And Tugger became like an adopted uncle.

But the day came when little Quaxo asked Jemima, "Do I have a dad?"

Jemima nodded solemnly.

"Why isn't he here?"

Jemima could feel herself tearing up. "He can't be here." she said.

"Oh." said the little kit. Obviously he had wanted a different answer. But he moved on. "What was he like?"

"He looked like you." she began. "He was always trying to do what was right and he was very kind. He sometimes had a temper though. But he loved you before you were born. I only wish you'd been able to meet him." Remembering hurt. But she couldn't keep it hidden forever.

"Mom? Are you okay?"

Her head shot up to her kit. Then she nodded.

^..^

"Quaxo! Come back here!" called Jemima. The little tuxedo kitten had run off into the junkyard. "You know you're not supposed to be out here." she said when he stopped running.

"But mom!" he whined. _Could those adorable eyes get any bigger?_ Jemima wondered. She sighed and laughed a little.

"Okay fine. But you have to promise to stay close to me. I don't want you getting lost."

"I promise!" he swore quickly.

"Okay. Then I'll take you to someplace special." said Jemima.

The little kit's face lit up. "Really?"

"Yes." she answered.

She led him through the junkyard along the easiest route for him to follow. She took him to the edge of the junkyard. To the clearing where she and her love had spent time together. Amazingly, it didn't hurt to think of him when she was here. It was almost like she could imagine he was just in the center practicing his magic. She almost believed it too. He was still alive. He was still smiling. He was still with her. But every time she opened her eyes, he was gone. The only thing she had left of him was their little kitten.

"I spent some time with your father in this place." said Jemima to her kitten. "He practiced magic here."

The kitten's eyes grew wide. "Really?"

She smiled. "Yes."

"How did he do it?"

"He told me a little trick to it once." she said. "All you have to do is say the magic word."

The kitten was getting excited. "What was the magic word?"

She leaned her muzzle next to his ear and whispered, "Presto."

The kit's happiness seemed to burst forward. He ran to the center of the clearing and ran in wide circles as he yelled, "PRESTO! PRESTO! PRESTO!"

Jemima laughed. The little black kitten kept yelling the magic word. Then suddenly, he stopped. He was looking at the sky in wonder and amazement. Jemima wondered what he could be looking at. She tilted her head upward. Her paws instantly flew to her mouth. Then she was fighting tears once again. Had her little kit done this?

It was snowing.

"Mom!" called the kit. "Did I do that?"

She couldn't keep the tears in. They fell from her eyes in steady flows. But they were not tears of sadness. They were tears of happiness. A single happy memory was found again. A happy day that could now be relived; but with a twist.

"Mom, what's wrong?" he asked.

She shook her head. Then she wrapped him in a hug. "Just remembering." she said. "Just remembering something good."

* * *

_Well that's it! To those who actually read the whole thing I hope you liked it! Thanks for reading!_


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